Hey there fellow blogger! Noodles here, also known as Sage in the past. You're probably wondering if this is some nowhere near finished build. Not at all, let me explain! Lately I've seen a lot of new builders coming to the blog and trying their luck at posting a character build or two. Many of them had potential. Sadly though, most of them didn't have much experience in writing a character build and let's face it, the Skyrim Blog has pretty high standards regarding these things. Most of our regular members gave them all the needed feedback, but in some cases it was way too much information for someone who doesn't know his or her way around the blog. With that in mind, I have decided to share with everyone my own template for writing down and presenting a proper character build so that most of us are pleased. Hey you! Yeah you, new guy trying to make a name for yourself on the Skyrim Blog's Character Building group. I'm talking to you now! Below you will find the setup for a Character Build. All you need to do is copy/paste it in a word document, bring your ideas for a new build and replace the [...] fields with the right description, according to your character! Don't forget to insert here and there some screenshots from your gameplay. Reading a wall of text always bores the reader and screenshots show that you've actually played the build. Just don't take them from the internet. We'll know!
Remember, you are not obligated to use this template because it's not a standard here. Every builder has his or her own way of writing and presenting character builds. This is not compatible with all the builds you'll read here. This is just meant to be a stepping stone towards creating your own build layout, if you have no idea how to make one!
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[Insert Name Here.]
[Replace the artwork picture above with one that best embodies your build. This is pretty important because it gives the reader a hint about what he/she is going to read about. Head over to the Skyrim Art group’s Art Group Services Request Thread if you’re in need of pictures.]
[Insert short character introduction here. This is where you talk about your character as a whole. You need to answer questions like: Why did you choose to play such a character? What makes it stand out from the rest of the builds? Talk a little about how to play the character. Describe a bit the gameplay mechanics, skills, abilities and so on.]
Lore: [Insert lore article title here.]
[This field is optional. This is where you narrate the lore behind your build. If your character is a member of a certain faction or follows a certain aedra/daedra, write about them. Very useful sites for this are: The Elder Scrolls Wiki, UESP, The Imperial Library and last but most important our friendly Lore Group’s Ask your lore questions here discussion. Your character or faction doesn’t need to actually exist within the Elder Scrolls universe, but describing them in a way that fits with the lore and doesn’t contradict it goes a long way.]
[Replace the screenshot above with one of your character or another art picture. If you’re playing on PS3/XBOX360, head over to the Skyrim Art group’s Art Group Services Request Thread and ask for a few screenshots of your character. If you’re playing on PC, remember to always reduce to minimum the HUD Opacity before taking a screenshot. For better quality open up the console (press ~) and write tfc 1 then close it (press ~ again). Everything will be frozen and you will be able to move the camera for nice angles.]
Backstory
[This field is optional. This is where you can write a short backstory about your character. Remember to make it short. Nothing kills a reader’s interest quite as fast as a character build with a backstory stuffed full of overused clichés. The number of backstories that start off with some sob story about murdered parents or a troubled, abusive upbringing are too many to count. If you’re into storytelling, you might want to check out The Story Corner.]
Gameplay
[Insert detailed gameplay description here. This is where you talk about how your character is played. Describe the skills, gameplay mechanics, strategies and so on. If your build is based around a glitch, describe it here. When thinking about a character’s gameplay, if you’re out of ideas, pay a visit to the Skyrim Tips and Tricks group. Although Skyrim has been out for almost 3 years, there are a ton of tactics not used yet in any build that is found on the blog.]
[Replace the perk spread image above with one containing your perk choices. If you don't know how to do one, head over the Skyrim Art group's Art Group Services Request Thread and post a comment there with your perks and image.]
[Insert Skill name here]: [Insert detailed description of one skill from your build’s skill set. This is where you tell the reader why this skill is an asset to the gameplay. Talk about your perk choices for this particular skill.]
[Insert Skill name here]: [Insert detailed description of one skill from your build’s skill set. This is where you tell the reader why this skill is an asset to the gameplay. Talk about your perk choices for this particular skill.]
[Insert Skill name here]: [Insert detailed description of one skill from your build’s skill set. This is where you tell the reader why this skill is an asset to the gameplay. Talk about your perk choices for this particular skill.]
[Insert Skill name here]: [Insert detailed description of one skill from your build’s skill set. This is where you tell the reader why this skill is an asset to the gameplay. Talk about your perk choices for this particular skill.]
[Insert Skill name here]: [Insert detailed description of one skill from your build’s skill set. This is where you tell the reader why this skill is an asset to the gameplay. Talk about your perk choices for this particular skill.]
[Replace the screenshot above with one of your character or another art picture.]
Abilities (optional, not all builds must have abilities!)
[Insert ability name here]
Requirements: [Insert ability requirements here. This is where you write what perks, powers, spells or glitches are needed to perform the ability.]
Description: [Insert ability description here. This is where you explain how to combo the requirements perks, powers, spells to perform the ability. Remember, an ability is something only your character can pull off! It has to be unique and an integral part of how the character behaves in combat! An Unrelenting Force shout followed by continuous hitting with two equipped maces is not a valid choice. Please read the Abilities section in the first two examples I have provided in the end of this discussion to fully understand this concept! And remember, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a build having no abilities! I have two legendary ranked builds with no abilities.]
[Insert ability name here]
Requirements: [Insert ability requirements here. This is where you write what perks, powers, spells or glitches are needed to perform the ability.]
Description: [Insert ability description here. This is where you explain how to combo the requirements perks, powers, spells to perform the ability. Remember, an ability is something only your character can pull off! It has to be unique and an integral part of how the character behaves in combat! An Unrelenting Force shout followed by continuous hitting with two equipped maces is not a valid choice. Please read the Abilities section in the first two examples I have provided in the end of this discussion to fully understand this concept! And remember, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a build having no abilities! I have two legendary ranked builds with no abilities.]
Other Information
Race: [Insert build race and if needed gender here. Optionally provide the motive for choosing it.]
Stone: [Insert stone name/names here. Optionally provide the motive of choosing it/them. This is where you write what stones your character should take at low, medium and high levels and why.]
Stats Distribution: [x] Magicka | [y] Health | [z] Stamina.
Equipment: [Insert character’s equipment here. You can also write what enchantments should be put on the armor or weapons should your character have Enchanting as a skill.]
[Replace the equipment image above as per your Equipment section. If you're out of appearance ideas for your character, take a look at the various armor combos posted in the Skyrim Art group's NOACC first, second and third discussions. If you still can't find a combo, go to the Art Group Services Request Thread and describe your character there. I will be more than happy to find some nice combos for you!]
Quests/Roleplay
[This is where you write about which quests your character should take. Write about your character’s way of approaching certain situations and what drives him/her to do what he/she does. Character motives and personalities must not be too simplistic (example: "Kill every high elf you see because Thalmor killed your character's parents."). Also, you don't need to go into great detail. If you're into roleplaying, check out the Roleplaying group.]
Closing Notes
[This field is optional. This is where you usually credit the author whose images you've used or say your conclusions on playing the build. In my case, I would like to credit Curse Never Dying for the first image and the perk spread.]
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So this is my build layout. It may look easy to do but it's actually not. It takes a lot of planning, play-testing and writing to replace the [...] fields with their description. The replacing paragraphs should be at least the same size as the length of the description paragraphs. When writing, don't forget to do a spell check if English is not your first language. Many members are put off by spelling errors. Making a build after this takes me around 2 weeks, but I'm experienced. For a fairly new builder, I'd say a month should be enough.
Are you still confused on how to write a character build? Here are some of my finest character builds which respect this template: Example1, Example2, Example3. I hope I've been of some help in taking your first steps towards becoming a respected builder. I am looking forward to seeing your own build style derived from this one. Noodles out!
Hey there fellow blogger! Noodles here, also known as Sage in the past. You're probably wondering if this is some nowhere near finished build. Not at all, let me explain! Lately I've seen a lot of new builders coming to the blog and trying their luck at posting a character build or two. Many of them had potential. Sadly though, most of them didn't have much experience in writing a character build and let's face it, the Skyrim Blog has pretty high standards regarding these things. Most of our regular members gave them all the needed feedback, but in some cases it was way too much information for someone who doesn't know his or her way around the blog. With that in mind, I have decided to share with everyone my own template for writing down and presenting a proper character build so that most of us are pleased. Hey you! Yeah you, new guy trying to make a name for yourself on the Skyrim Blog's Character Building group. I'm talking to you now! Below you will find the setup for a Character Build. All you need to do is copy/paste it in a word document, bring your ideas for a new build and replace the [...] fields with the right description, according to your character! Don't forget to insert here and there some screenshots from your gameplay. Reading a wall of text always bores the reader and screenshots show that you've actually played the build. Just don't take them from the internet. We'll know!
Remember, you are not obligated to use this template because it's not a standard here. Every builder has his or her own way of writing and presenting character builds. This is not compatible with all the builds you'll read here. This is just meant to be a stepping stone towards creating your own build layout, if you have no idea how to make one!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Insert Name Here.]
[Replace the artwork picture above with one that best embodies your build. This is pretty important because it gives the reader a hint about what he/she is going to read about. Head over to the Skyrim Art group’s Art Group Services Request Thread if you’re in need of pictures.]
[Insert short character introduction here. This is where you talk about your character as a whole. You need to answer questions like: Why did you choose to play such a character? What makes it stand out from the rest of the builds? Talk a little about how to play the character. Describe a bit the gameplay mechanics, skills, abilities and so on.]
Lore: [Insert lore article title here.]
[This field is optional. This is where you narrate the lore behind your build. If your character is a member of a certain faction or follows a certain aedra/daedra, write about them. Very useful sites for this are: The Elder Scrolls Wiki, UESP, The Imperial Library and last but most important our friendly Lore Group’s Ask your lore questions here discussion. Your character or faction doesn’t need to actually exist within the Elder Scrolls universe, but describing them in a way that fits with the lore and doesn’t contradict it goes a long way.]
[Replace the screenshot above with one of your character or another art picture. If you’re playing on PS3/XBOX360, head over to the Skyrim Art group’s Art Group Services Request Thread and ask for a few screenshots of your character. If you’re playing on PC, remember to always reduce to minimum the HUD Opacity before taking a screenshot. For better quality open up the console (press ~) and write tfc 1 then close it (press ~ again). Everything will be frozen and you will be able to move the camera for nice angles.]
Backstory
[This field is optional. This is where you can write a short backstory about your character. Remember to make it short. Nothing kills a reader’s interest quite as fast as a character build with a backstory stuffed full of overused clichés. The number of backstories that start off with some sob story about murdered parents or a troubled, abusive upbringing are too many to count. If you’re into storytelling, you might want to check out The Story Corner.]
Gameplay
[Insert detailed gameplay description here. This is where you talk about how your character is played. Describe the skills, gameplay mechanics, strategies and so on. If your build is based around a glitch, describe it here. When thinking about a character’s gameplay, if you’re out of ideas, pay a visit to the Skyrim Tips and Tricks group. Although Skyrim has been out for almost 3 years, there are a ton of tactics not used yet in any build that is found on the blog.]
[Replace the perk spread image above with one containing your perk choices. If you don't know how to do one, head over the Skyrim Art group's Art Group Services Request Thread and post a comment there with your perks and image.]
[Insert Skill name here]: [Insert detailed description of one skill from your build’s skill set. This is where you tell the reader why this skill is an asset to the gameplay. Talk about your perk choices for this particular skill.]
[Insert Skill name here]: [Insert detailed description of one skill from your build’s skill set. This is where you tell the reader why this skill is an asset to the gameplay. Talk about your perk choices for this particular skill.]
[Insert Skill name here]: [Insert detailed description of one skill from your build’s skill set. This is where you tell the reader why this skill is an asset to the gameplay. Talk about your perk choices for this particular skill.]
[Insert Skill name here]: [Insert detailed description of one skill from your build’s skill set. This is where you tell the reader why this skill is an asset to the gameplay. Talk about your perk choices for this particular skill.]
[Insert Skill name here]: [Insert detailed description of one skill from your build’s skill set. This is where you tell the reader why this skill is an asset to the gameplay. Talk about your perk choices for this particular skill.]
[Replace the screenshot above with one of your character or another art picture.]
Abilities (optional, not all builds must have abilities!)
[Insert ability name here]
Requirements: [Insert ability requirements here. This is where you write what perks, powers, spells or glitches are needed to perform the ability.]
Description: [Insert ability description here. This is where you explain how to combo the requirements perks, powers, spells to perform the ability. Remember, an ability is something only your character can pull off! It has to be unique and an integral part of how the character behaves in combat! An Unrelenting Force shout followed by continuous hitting with two equipped maces is not a valid choice. Please read the Abilities section in the first two examples I have provided in the end of this discussion to fully understand this concept! And remember, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a build having no abilities! I have two legendary ranked builds with no abilities.]
[Insert ability name here]
Requirements: [Insert ability requirements here. This is where you write what perks, powers, spells or glitches are needed to perform the ability.]
Description: [Insert ability description here. This is where you explain how to combo the requirements perks, powers, spells to perform the ability. Remember, an ability is something only your character can pull off! It has to be unique and an integral part of how the character behaves in combat! An Unrelenting Force shout followed by continuous hitting with two equipped maces is not a valid choice. Please read the Abilities section in the first two examples I have provided in the end of this discussion to fully understand this concept! And remember, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a build having no abilities! I have two legendary ranked builds with no abilities.]
Other Information
Race: [Insert build race and if needed gender here. Optionally provide the motive for choosing it.]
Stone: [Insert stone name/names here. Optionally provide the motive of choosing it/them. This is where you write what stones your character should take at low, medium and high levels and why.]
Stats Distribution: [x] Magicka | [y] Health | [z] Stamina.
Equipment: [Insert character’s equipment here. You can also write what enchantments should be put on the armor or weapons should your character have Enchanting as a skill.]
[Replace the equipment image above as per your Equipment section. If you're out of appearance ideas for your character, take a look at the various armor combos posted in the Skyrim Art group's NOACC first, second and third discussions. If you still can't find a combo, go to the Art Group Services Request Thread and describe your character there. I will be more than happy to find some nice combos for you!]
Quests/Roleplay
[This is where you write about which quests your character should take. Write about your character’s way of approaching certain situations and what drives him/her to do what he/she does. Character motives and personalities must not be too simplistic (example: "Kill every high elf you see because Thalmor killed your character's parents."). Also, you don't need to go into great detail. If you're into roleplaying, check out the Roleplaying group.]
Closing Notes
[This field is optional. This is where you usually credit the author whose images you've used or say your conclusions on playing the build. In my case, I would like to credit Curse Never Dying for the first image and the perk spread.]
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So this is my build layout. It may look easy to do but it's actually not. It takes a lot of planning, play-testing and writing to replace the [...] fields with their description. The replacing paragraphs should be at least the same size as the length of the description paragraphs. When writing, don't forget to do a spell check if English is not your first language. Many members are put off by spelling errors. Making a build after this takes me around 2 weeks, but I'm experienced. For a fairly new builder, I'd say a month should be enough.
Are you still confused on how to write a character build? Here are some of my finest character builds which respect this template: Example1, Example2, Example3. I hope I've been of some help in taking your first steps towards becoming a respected builder. I am looking forward to seeing your own build style derived from this one. Noodles out!
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